I've been a Maxda RX8 driver for 4 years and I think it could be better at cornering than the CS that I'm just about to take delivery of. In fact, ny practical experience in chasing CS's on and off the track is that it is. Any opinions?

Welcome!

Uhmm. No.

I'm not going to explain why here but suggest you go to the Motor Trend website and read their article of the best handling cars in the US. Plenty of detail and that should answer the question.

See America's Best Handling Car - Motor Trend

The answer is NO, not even remotely close in my experience. If you liked the RX-8's handling you'll LOVE the Cayman's!

BTW I would expect that someone who has driven their car for 4 years on the track would be better in cornering than say a first time student in a new Cayman. If, however, you want to pit your RX-8 up against a seasoned Cayman veteran on the track, I think you'll quickly see the results would be just the opposite.

__________________

My Gallery | My Articles | My Blog |My Classifieds
K-Man S

Rx-8 was voted the #1 car least likely to rollover = good handling???

__________________
She's a BEAUTY.

Andy get yourself to a mirror and slap yourself across the face for asking a question that you know the answer to...you know what we all will say...seems like the 4 years of owning a rx8 has put blinders on you to the real capabilities of the Cayman S,this happens alot...all you need is a few weeks with the CS to see the error of your ways

golfguy11800

so you and your brother (who has already crashed on a corner speeding) take corners at over double the posted speed limit in the brand new CS your parents bought...and you are 16....

how long till we see your thread about how you crashed the CS into a tree or an oncoming car taking a corner too fast,injuring yourself and others? Your parents are quite irresponsible letting you drive such a powerful car at 16,you just proved it when you come online and brag about how fast you and your brother speed...

I have some RX8 experience, its a very capable car, but the cayman is certainly a MORE capable car. Mazda, to me, is the only Japanese car company that builds sports cars. Mazdas are not exactly powerhouses, but their cars are generally very light and nimble; very porschelike.

golfguy11800:
If its true you are 16 and have a CS, your parents have already endangered your life. Please be careful with it; I had a BMW 328is when I was 18, and I did some stupid stuff in that car; it is simply a function of age and lack of good judgement (and I am a very careful, conservative person when it comes to street driving) If I had a CS; I think I would have been in trouble.

Remember, if you get in a serious accident, the consquences can change your life in a less-than-positive way.

I've got dibs on the exhaust tip:



Please tell your parents that after you total your car to PM me and I'll buy the tip off them.

__________________
Gator Bite
(View My Articles : Blogs : Car : Profile)

This must be what a shark feels like when someone chums the water.

__________________
Just sold my beautiful CS, now the fun begins as I look for its open top replacement...

I think Honda would have something to say about that - Mazda, as did every other Japanese motor company, started making cars purely as profitable machines.

Honda is the only Japanese motor company that started because of a love of motor racing and if you have driven a S2000 or an NSX (with direct development by Ayrton Senna) you'd know what I mean.

I agree...the S2000 is a great car. Could use some more power, but overall it's a nice package. The shifter feels incredible!

As for the RX-8, I took one around one of our auction lots a few months back, and, after putting it through it's paces, it is no CS in terms of handling. Nice car, but no comparison, really. Totally different feel.

You ask a good question Andy. I still own both an '04 Rx8 as well as a Cayman S. I take both to the track..... frequently. IMO, I would still give the edge to the Rx8 over the Cayman in the handling department. One benchmark, I believe I turned a 1.48 lap in the Rx8 at a local track, whereas the best time I've been able to find in the Cayman at that track was to have recently just barely broken the 1.50 second mark. The Cayman is a faster car "off the line" and has a lot more accelleration than the poor old Rx8,... IMO and experiece the Rx8 just manages to hold on to speed better and conserve momentum through the corners. Don't let a big price tag, or a lot of bench racing hype fool you. OTOH I do get absolutely phenominally better valet parking with the Cayman

Don't get me wrong, the Cayman is a very nicely handling car. But it's not, at least as yet, as knife edge sharp as the Rx8 is.

PS ~ the Rx8 has has some suspension modifications done to it. OTOH, the Cayman is going in for some suspension work next week as well. But that said, it was as I recall, a pretty phenominal car right out of the box .... and to top it off, the damn thing will in fact hold four full size adults if need be. We used it for the OneLap of America last May, and but for the power descrepancy and time attack format (every thing is measured from a standing start) which favored higher powered cars, we did very respectably well in the Rx8. There were no Cayman's in the One Lap, but if we'd been classed in the "SSGT2~Big bore" (i.e. engines over 3.5 liters in displacement) group, we would have finished at least 2nd overall in that class based on overall points/scores. We got killed however in the drag races.

__________________
'o6 Cayman SArtic Silver/Black leather

mplor "I believe I turned a 1.48 lap in the Rx8 at a local track, whereas the best time I've been able to find in the Cayman at that track was to have recently just barely broken the 1.50 second mark"

seems like you have had the rx8 for coming up to 5 years now and the Cayman S for considerably shorter,your barely 2 second quicker time on the track has more to do with you having spent alot more time,and having more confidence,being comfortable in,the rx8

Straight up the rx8 is a very limp car and in no way handles or does anything anywhere near the CS...i have driven both back to back with my older brothers 997TT and dads SLK55AMG...rx8 isnt even worth mentioning in the same sentence but oops you made me do it

face slap yourself just like Andymw